Team3S: 3000GT & Stealth Saturday, November 29 2003 Volume
02 : Number 311
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Date: Thu, 27 Nov 2003 12:42:52 -0800
Subject: Re: Team3S: New tires - Sumitomo HTR+ or Goodyear Eagle F1
GS-D3
For just a few bucks more than the HTR+, you can get a really *great*
tire
that many Team3S members have - the Yokohama AVS ES-100. They are
$113 (at
TireRack, and similarly priced at Discount Tire, where I got mine) for
either
the stock size 245/45WR17 or the slightly wider and lower-profile
255/40WR17
(the ones I have). They are just about perfect, IMO, and as good a
performer
as my high-priced Bridgestone Potenza S-03 Pole Position set that I run on
my
18" rims (245/40ZR18). The AVS ES-100's are basically a re-issue of
the
incredible AVS Intermediates, which were discontinued a few years
ago.
Yokohama got huge amounts of owner feedback complaining of their
demise. AVS
Intermediates were the best street tire I ever drove on, and the only
street
tires that I've ever found to be acceptable to drive on a track.
(Obviously,
nothing can match race tires, though...) We're planning on running
both the
Stealth and the VR-4 at Laguna Seca this weekend, and we only have one set
of
race tires left, which stay on the VR-4. I'm switching the Stealth's
18"
S-03's for the 17" ES-100's for track use. I can't give you a
better
testimonial than that... Great tires for a great price - what a
concept!
The only other low-mid price tire I have positive exerience with is the
Nitto
Extreme Performance 555 (I also had a set of EP 450's). I don't know
current
prices or who carries them, but they are a pretty good alternative to
the
ES-100's. I ran mine for 2 years at the track and they still have
half their
tread left. But they are not quite as good as the Yokos, except in
the
rain...
Happy Thanksgiving to all members in the USA!
- ---Forrest
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Date: Thu, 27 Nov 2003 20:03:00 -0600
Subject: Re: Team3S: New tires - Sumitomo HTR+ or Goodyear Eagle F1
GS-D3
I have Sumitomo HTR+ on all my vehicles (1995 Stealth R/T 245/50R16
(25.7"
diameter), 1996 Dodge Avenger ES 225/50R16 (25" diameter), 1993 Dodge
Caravan 225/50R16 (25" diameter) and have been very pleased with the
general
handling on all surfaces and weather of these tires. As a result, I
will be
trying out the Sumitomo HTRZII when I replace the Kumho ECSTA Supra 712s
on
the seventeens (275/40R17 - 25.7" diameter) that I use during the summer
on
the Stealth. I will agree with Bob Forest that the Yokohama AVS
ES-100 is
an excellent tire but tire rack tests show the Sumitomo HTRZII to be a
very
close to it on overall road rating with it coming in second on the
handling
score but edging out the Yokohama and Kumho on Noise Comfort and Ride
Comfort rating. On paper it is a better value if that is what
you're
looking for.
Rudy Arias
1995 Stealth R/T
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Date: Thu, 27 Nov 2003 20:25:13 -0600
Subject: Re: Team3S: New tires - Sumitomo HTR+ or Goodyear Eagle F1
GS-D3
I forgot to mention that the Sumitomo HTR+ is an Ultra High Performance
All
Season tire whereas the Yokohama AVS ES100, Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3,
Kumho
ECSTA Supra 712 and the Sumitomo HTR Z II are Ultra High Performance
Summer
tires. The All Season vs Summer will make a difference when it comes
to
what you will use them for. As I said for general every day highway
driving
the Sumitomo HTR+ have been an excellent choice for me.
Rudy Arias
1995 Stealth R/T
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Date: Thu, 27 Nov 2003 20:43:57 -0600
Subject: RE: Team3S: New tires - Sumitomo HTR+ or Goodyear Eagle F1
GS-D3
I have Yoko ES100s on both my VR4s. My son has a set on his Audi S4
Avant, also AWD. These are terrific tires, in all weather
conditions.
Chuck Willis
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Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 02:09:13 -0600
Subject: RE: Team3S: New tires - Sumitomo HTR+ or Goodyear Eagle F1
GS-D3
As the first person to recommend these tires to the Team3S list, I am
extremely happy that everyone has loved them... I have them on both
of
my cars, and recommend them to all of my friends for a good
"everything
but snow" tire... they are excellent in the wet, awesome in the
dry,
hook well straight line and corner just as good... As a tire salesman
/
asst manager of a Discount Tire Co. I see the good bad and ugly of
just
about every tire out there... Aside from Michelin tires, Yokohama
tires
statistically have fewest defect of any brand, and I have yet to see
any
defect with the ES-100 yet... Another positive thing, the tread
is
wider than a similar sized tire of about all different brands except
for
the Michelin Pilot Sport...
Overall, excellent tires, the reviews don't do them justice...
- -Cody
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Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 10:40:17 -0700
Subject: Team3S: Clutch Activation Switch
Hi All,
OK, a week or two I wrote about hard start problems, well, it
eventually
became a no-start problem, so I had to take it in to Mitsu. They took
a
look, and said it is a "Clutch activation/deactivation switch,"
apparently
the switch that allows the starter to engage when the clutch is
depressed.
$184 for the part, ?? for the labor. Knowing that I can tear a
computer
open and swap pieces out in no time flat, but have never touched my car,
do
I:
1) let them replace it, or do I try to do it myself?
2) Is that a reasonable quote on the part, and what is reasonable for
the
labor to replace it if they do it?
Thanks for any help!
- - Paul
Albuquerque, New Mexico
'94 3000GT VR/4 150K Miles
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Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 18:57:55 +0100
Subject: Re: Team3S: Clutch Activation Switch
Paul, we don't have them here in Europe so it must be easily to be
disabled
(if you can live without that).
Roger G.
93 & 96 3000GT TT
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Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 11:21:20 -0700
Subject: Re: Team3S: Clutch Activation Switch
Roger,
> Paul, we don't have them here in Europe so it must be easily to
be
disabled
Good point. I had forgotten that it is just a "safety" issue.
Do you know
how one would go about disabling it? Remember, for a
non-mechanic!
Thanks!
- - Paul
Albuquerque, New Mexico
'94 3000GT VR/4 150K Miles
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Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 12:34:54 -0600
Subject: Re: Team3S: Clutch Activation Switch
> Good point. I had forgotten that it is just a "safety"
issue. Do you
> know how one would go about disabling it? Remember, for a
non-mechanic!
Unplug the wiring connector from the switch. That's all...
Beware that
once that is done, the car will start anytime in any gear even without
the
clutch pedal in. At a minimum you can make sure it actually is that
switch
causing the problem though by unplugging it. The switch is up there a
ways
under the dash. It is the one that gets actuated when the clutch
pedal is
pressed down to the floor.
- -Matt
'95 3000GT Spyder VR4
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Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 20:05:20 +0100
Subject: Re: Team3S: Clutch Activation Switch
Matt, are there two switches at the clutch or one with two wires ??
This because ALL cars do have that switch. On the Europeans it switches
off
the cruise control when the clutch is pressed down. I agree with
unplugging
it for testing but just disconnecting the wires seems not to be the
solution
as other functions are related to it. In fact there should be two
wiring
harnesses C63 and C64, i.e. two connectors at the pedal switch. One of
them
is for the starter relay and the other for the cruise control. I'm not
sure
what happens if the one with the Green-Blue wire is disconnented. The
Yellow-Blue one is for the Cruise control. If it real is the switch
then
cruise control doesn't work too.
Roger G.
93 & 96 3000GT TT
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Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 13:18:36 -0600
Subject: Re: Team3S: Clutch Activation Switch
> Matt, are there two switches at the clutch or one with two wires
??
There are two, one for the upper stop and one for the lower stop.
The cruise control works off the upper switch, which is set when the
clutch
pedal is all the way up. The only function connected to the switch
that is
triggered when the pedal is all the way down is enabling the starter.
The
lower switch is normally-closed, so when the pedal is pressed down then
it
goes open. By unplugging the wires, it is open all the time and
therefore
the starter is enabled at all times.
My car is set up this way, with the lower switch unplugged so that I
don't
have to press the clutch in to start the car (less wear on the thrust
bearings). Cruise control functions normally, with it turning
off
automatically when I press in the clutch.
- -Matt
'95 3000GT Spyder VR4
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Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 12:28:36 -0800
Subject: Re: Team3S: Clutch Activation Switch
It sounds like the unplugged lower switch connector would be an ideal place
to
install a "dead switch" for theft protection. If such a switch were
thrown,
it would 'close' the circuit. That would fool the system into
'thinking' that
the clutch was NOT depressed, even if it was... It would be a pretty
simple
deal to rig a hidden toggle inside an air vent, on a pillar pod, etc.
The car
just wouldn't start unless the driver knew where the switch was located
(and
remembered to throw it). ;-)
- --Forrest
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Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2003 14:40:28 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Team3S: Aftermarket 18" wheels
Thanks for everyone's help with the tires. Now tires:
I have the stock 18" chrome wheels on my 97 vr4. 3 are damaged and need
to
be repaired which comes out to $750 (+ the $20/wheel fee the tire place
is
charging; Wheel Works in San Francisco charges a $20 fee to send them
to
Wheels America). Can anyone recommend some nice 18" (chrome optional)
wheels that I can use to replace the stock ones? Criteria are :
durability, good performance(light) and nice looking. Price is also a
concern too.
I'm debating whether to stick with the stocks or replace them. Or if
someone could direct me to a magazine or website that would be great
too.
Thanks
Mike
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End of Team3S: 3000GT & Stealth V2 #311
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